


in memoriam

by roxasthatsastick



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Gen, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27835630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roxasthatsastick/pseuds/roxasthatsastick
Summary: It is a beautiful day to dream, is it not?
Kudos: 8





	in memoriam

It was a beautiful day in the end. The clouds had retreated to the horizon, and the dew on the road gleamed from the sun. That was a relief, you had gotten worried about that.

It had rained all through the last three days of your journey, and the roads had been hard and muddy along the way. As busy as you’d been, it had been ages since you had last seen your friends. How long… at least a good couple of weeks, though it felt longer.

Of course, it wasn’t as though you had made the journey any easier on yourself. It felt as though for every malm you traveled, you found three more people in need. And, naturally, how could you say no!

Most of the requests had been the work of minutes though, really. One reported a danger on the outer roads, some deliveries… There had been one particularly cute couple who just couldn’t manage a confession. ...Admittedly, that was less of a request, but when you had asked about what was bothering them… Well.

But, at last, you were  _ finally _ back in town, and oh… it was beautiful. With the sun finally back, the light caught every bit of dew on the grass, and the puddles on the street. Small ones, but the all shone nonetheless with all the hope of a new day.

And, truth be told, you  _ were _ in quite the hopeful mood.

It had taken some work (and a favor or two), but you’d convinced a friend to get a picnic party set up without letting everyone else know you were already in town.

You laughed easily at just the thought. Hythlodaeus had always been one for a good surprise. (Or a prank, or three. Some of your co-workers were just so staid and grave, that it was a public service really. Ah, poor Elidibus.)

Pulling the picnic blanket out, you laid it out upon the green grass. Already, it looked a little damp, but you could fix that later probably. Magick it away, or some such.

With that, you collapsed upon your fine work. There had been so much walking in recent days, your legs felt ready to melt.

You probably needed to try and fix up the actual picnic food, but you had plenty of time.

What kind of expression were your friends going to have when they got here? Excitement? Probably at least one mix of resignation and care if you knew them.

An old reedy voice called from behind you. ”Oh! It's you A████! It's been so long…!”

You turned, a smile pulling at your face. You reached u̸̸p̴̶/̸̶̷̵̶̵̶̢̑̕͜ͅd̷̴̸̷̷̋͒ỏ̴̶̶̷̵̵̵̤͗̔w̵̸̶̴̵̡͖͑n̴ and scratched gently behind a crest. “Seto! What are you doing here?” You swept a hand around at the picnic around you. “We’re having a picnic, do you want to join? I have grapes!”

There wasn't an answer for a moment. You fought the urge to fidget. “Are you… allergic?”

“A██b██.” Seto met your eyes, embers of something knowing and sad burning gently. “You… have already passed, remember?”

Beneath the blanket, the ground began to crumble, and heat sank into the air like it never left.

“Remember.”

You whipped your head around, and your body tensed at the sights and sounds that greeted you. 

Everything was on fire, buildings collapsing around you. The grass you had been sitting on was dry, drained of all life. Oh and  _ the sky _ … the sky was bright, bright with not just meteors but an unnatural light. So very much Light.

Without noticing when or how, you had stood up, reaching for a blade that was never there.

Heart pounding, you pivot back to Seto, only to find him gone.

In his place, your friends (enemies, co-workers,  _ ascians _ ) now stood before you. The cloaks of yesteryear were gone, and all of them were wearing ascian cloaks and darker expressions. Darkness coiled around them like chains, like the vines of a poisonous plant.

“A██m.” 

You couldn’t bear to look at what remained of your friends, and your heart was so loud you could barely tell who was speaking. 

“Remember us.”

“Why couldn’t you save them?”

“I…”

You cast your gaze around, all around were your friends, your failures. The dead piled on top of one another, fire and rubble obscuring them. But you could still see enough. The Amaurotines, Voeburtites,  _ Alisaie, Cylva, Hythlodaeus, G’raha— _

You sat up, blankets over-warm around you. Your body felt small, so small, but another part of you disagreed just as much. Wrongness rippled through you, you were supposed to be Amaurotine— you were supposed to be  _ dead _ —  **_you were—_ **

"I... I am A— a Warrior of Light." You took a deep unsettled breath, like all of those memories were rattling away in your lungs. "I'm what I have to be. That's all that matters."

Right?  
  


**_‘Right.’_ ** ****

_ ‘Right.’ _

**Author's Note:**

> so like? if no one else is going to write pure azem angst, i will. reincarnation stuff!! is really interesting!!!!
> 
> i have never written in 2nd person before, not sure how i like it hahaha


End file.
